The primary purpose of the sedan is to transport people and their
baggage on ordinary roads. Sedan versions of the automobile body
style have a central pillar (B-pillar) that supports the roof and come
in two- and four-door versions. Sedans usually have a two-box or
three-box body.

In the U.S., the term sedan has been used to denote a car with fixed
window frames, as opposed to the hardtop style without a "B" pillar
and where the sash or window frame, if any, winds down with the glass.
Popular in the U.S. from the 1950s through the 1970s, true hardtop
body designs have become increasingly rare.

The shape and position of the automobile greenhouse on both two- and
four-door sedans may be identical, with only the center B-pillar
positioned further back to accommodate the longer doors on the
two-door versions. For example, 1962
Rambler ClassicRambler Classic sedans feature
identical windshield, A-pillar, roof, C-pillar, and rear window. The
two-door sedans have longer doors and include roll down rear side
window and even a quarter window that is shaped to follow the reverse
slant of the C-pillar, just like on the rear doors of the four-door
sedans.

A two- or four-door design built on a normal chassis, but with a
shorter roof and interior space, club sedans were most often available
in high-level U.S. models from the mid-1920s to the mid-1950s.
Originating from the club car on a Pullman passenger train that was
well appointed, the "club" term imparted a sense of class to the
smaller-cabin versions in the range of models.

NOTCHBACK SEDANS

1962 Chevrolet Impala, a typical notchback sedan

A notchback sedan is a three-box sedan, where the passenger volume is
clearly distinct from the trunk volume of the vehicle (when seen from
the side). The roof is on one plane, generally parallel to the ground,
the rear window at a sharp angle to the roof, and the trunk lid is
also parallel to the ground.

FASTBACK SEDANS

1941 Plymouth fastback sedan

A fastback sedan is a TWO-BOX sedan, with continuous slope from the
roof to the base of the decklid (trunk lid), but excludes the
hatchback feature.
MarketingMarketing terminology is often misleading in this
area - for example,
Daimler AG incorrectly calls the Mercedes-Benz
CLS-Class sedan a _four-door coupé _ because its semi-fastback design
tries to give the impression of a coupé. Certain sedans are edging
close to being _one-box_ vehicles, where the windshield is steeply
raked from the hood/bonnet and the rear window slopes toward almost
the end of the car, leaving just a short rear deck that is part of the
trunk lid — the 2006 4-door JDM Honda Civic is an example of this.
They are not fastbacks because their bodyline changes from the roof to
the rear deck. Their steeply raked rear windows end with a decklid
that does not continue down to the bumper. Instead, their rear ends
are tall — sometimes in a
Kammback style — to increase trunk
space.

Typically this design is chosen for its aerodynamic advantages.
Automakers can no longer afford the penalty in fuel consumption
produced by the traditional notchback _three box _ form.

In historic terminology, a sedan will have a frame around the door
windows, while the hardtop has frameless door glass. A true hardtop
design also has no center or "B" pillar for roof support behind the
front doors). This pillarless body style offers greater visibility.
However, it requires extra underbody strengthening for structural
rigidity. The hardtop design can be considered separately (i.e., a
vehicle can be simply called a four-door hardtop), or it can be called
a hardtop sedan. During the 1960s and 1970s, hardtop sedans were often
sold as _sport sedans_ by several American manufacturers and they were
among the top selling body styles. During the 1980s, automakers in the
U.S. focused on removing weight and increasing strength, and their new
four-door sedans with B-pillars were called _pillared hardtops_ or
_pillared sedans_. The _sport sedan_ term has since been appropriated
for other uses. In
JapanJapan the hardtop design was used for several
luxury-type sedans during the 1990s.

HatchbackHatchback (a.k.a. liftback) sedans typically have the fastback
profile, but instead of a trunk lid, the entire back of the vehicle
lifts up (using a liftgate or hatch). A vehicle with four passenger
doors and a liftgate at the rear can be called a four-door hatchback,
five-door hatchback, four-door hatchback sedan, or five-door sedan. An
example of such is the
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx and
Audi A5 Sportback .
There can also be two-door hatchback sedans (three-door sedans), by
the same technical explanation for two-door sedans. Examples of this
design are the
Ford FocusFord Focus ,
Ford FiestaFord Fiesta ,
Volkswagen Golf , Chevrolet
Chevette and
Daewoo Nexia (
Opel KadettOpel Kadett E)

Strictly speaking limousine sedans have a separate compartment for
the driver and the passenger compartment is long enough to contain at
least two comfortable, forward-facing bench seats . Vehicles used for
these means are usually
Lincoln Town Car ,
CadillacCadillac ,
Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz ,
or Rolls-Royce .

The term limousine can refer to a large sedan, especially if hired
from a service. Chauffeured limousines are primarily used by
individuals for weddings, businesses for meetings, as well as for
airport and sightseeing transportation. Chauffeurs are professional
drivers, usually with experience in the transportation industry or
tourism industry . Chauffeured sedans are owned either by private
owners, livery services, or corporations. Large corporations as well
as governments commonly provide luxury sedans to top executives, as
well as VIP guests. Chauffeured sedans, such as the Lincoln Town Car,
may also be stretched into limousines that are capable of seating up
to twenty people.

The word _sedan_ is possibly derived from a southern Italian dialect
derivative of Italian _sedia_ "chair" (the first sedan was said to
have been introduced from
NaplesNaples ). However, Portuguese and Spanish
navigators and colonists encountered litters of various sorts in India
,
JapanJapan ,
MexicoMexico , and
PeruPeru . They were imported into
SpainSpain in the
late sixteenth century. Soon the fashion spread into
FranceFrance and then
EnglandEngland . All the names for these derived from the root "sed-" from
the
LatinLatin "sella" - the traditional name for a carried chair.

The Online Etymology Dictionary points to Italian (sedia = chair) the
cargo compartment at the rear is called the _trunk_ .

In
British English , a car of this configuration is called a SALOON.
The engine compartment cover is the _bonnet_, the cargo-compartment
_boot_ is at the rear.
HatchbackHatchback sedans are known simply as
_hatchbacks_ (not hatchback saloons); long-wheelbase luxury saloons
may be referred to as _limousines_. A sports sedan with hatchback rear
are typically called hot hatches in UK, but this usage is largely
limited to upgraded small cars.

The
British English term _saloon_ is sometimes used by British car
manufacturers in the United States. For example, the Rolls-Royce Park
Ward was sold as a saloon in the United States, while the smaller
Silver Seraph was called a sedan.

In
AustraliaAustralia the American term sedan is used, albeit with the British
terms _boot_ and _bonnet_ being used. In
New ZealandNew Zealand the British terms
"boot", "bonnet" and "windscreen" are most commonly used, but the
American terms are understood by most of the population. However, the
American terms "sedan" and "station wagon" are predominantly used,
with "saloon" only finding occasional usage, particularly in the field
of motor racing. In other languages, sedans are known as BERLINE
(French ), BERLINA (European Spanish ,
European Portuguese , Romanian
, and Italian ); although these terms also may include hatchbacks.
These terms, besides sedan, derive from types of horse -drawn
carriages . In German , the term LIMOUSINE is used for sedans, and
"Stretch-Limousine" for limousines.